Vehicle.



J. H. CARR.

VEHICLE.

APPLICATION FILED SBPT.16, 191s.

Patented Jan. 26, 1915.

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[Ere/276%" J. H. CARR.

VEHICLE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT.16, 1913.

Patented Jan. 26, 1915.

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J. H. CARR.

VEHICLE.

APPLIGATION FILED SEPT. 16, 1913.

1, 125,960., Patgnted Jan. 26, 1915.

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JOHN H. CARR, F ALHAMBRA, CALIFORNIA.

VEHICLE.

Specification of Letters latent.

Patented Jan. 26, 1915..

Application filed; September 16, 1913. Serial No. 789,967.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that 1, JOHN H. CARR, a citizen of the United States, residing at Alhambra, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Vehicles, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact specification.

This invention relates to vehicles, and has for its object to provide improved cushioning means. The cushioning means is designed and adapted to provide resiliency laterally as well as up and down.

The invention will be first hereinafter described in connection with the accompanying drawings, which constitute a part of this specfication and then set forth more specifically in the claims at the end of the description.

In the accompanying drawings in which similar reference characters are used throughout the several views for designatmg corresponding parts: Figure 1 is a broken side view of the chassis and platform of a vehicle constructed in accordance with this invention, parts being shown in vertical section; Fig. 2 is a broken transverse sect on of the vehicle as shown in Fig. 1, the section being taken through the cushion bearing and extending only partially across the vehicle;- Fig. 3 is an enlarged cross section of one of the cushion bearings in detail; Fig. 4: is a broken longitudinal section of a modified form of cushion bearing; Fig. 5 is a vertical section of the same; Fig. 6 is a broken elevation of the modified form of cushion bearing, the roller bearings for the wheelaxle being also shown partly in section and partly in elevation; Fig. 7 is a plan view of the chassis of a horse drawn vehicle equipped with my preferred form of cushion bearings; Fig. 8 is a plan view of a platform self propelled or motor vehicle, and Fig. 9 is a side elevation of the motor vehicle.

Referring first to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, A designates the platform of a vehicle, B, the chassis frame, and G the wheels. The platform may be constructed in any approved manner, as with longitudinal girders a, and angle iron cross braces a. trough shaped cross beams D, suitably secured thereto and preferably arranged directly over the -wheels. Into each of said trough shaped beams are laid a plurality of air-inflated cushions E, arranged in pairs The chassis frame has side by side and which may be separated by a central longitudinal rib d. The pneumatic cushions may also be separated at their ends by transverse ribs (1., in the troughs, see Fig. 2, in order to prevent play of said cushions 1n either direction. The platform A carries depending transverse members F having a suitably curved under face to fit in the trough shaped cross beams D upon the cushions E. The platform and chassis frame are held together, with the members F of the former properly engaging in the cross beams D of the latter, by bolts Ur, having loose pivotal connection at their upper ends to the platform and having their lower ends passed through lugs d on the cross beams D and fitted with nuts 9'. Between the nuts and the lugs there are placed springs g, which serve to take the recoil. Special care is given the form of the pneumatic cushions E to adapt thorn to withstand the severe pressures and anticipated rough. usage to which they will be subjected in heavytrucking. To this end the cross areas of the cushions approximate ellipses, but the sides turned toward the platform are practically straight while their opposite sides which are presented to the trough shaped beams are decidedly curved. Furthermore, the outer curved edges 6 of the cushions may be made thicker than their inner edges 6', in order to offset the deformation of the shape shown in Figs. 1 and 3, when a heavy load presses upon said cush- 1011s, it being understood that a load transmitted to the platform will sink the member F into the cushions in a vertical line, reducmg the thickness of the outer and upper edges of said cushions by reason of the crowding of the air downward into their lower and inner edges. It will, therefore, be seen that under a load, the best condition of pressure, the largest bearing and wearing surface, and the least deformation of the edges of the bag is efiected. lit will be un derstood, of course, that the number of cushions may be varied to suit conditions. The lateral edges of the members F may be turned down slightly, forming lips f, which are designed to prevent the cushions from slipping up in case of uneven loading or unusual jarring. These lips also prevent excessive lateral movement of the members F, for the sides of the trough D may extend above said lips, as shown in Fig. 3. This construction is not relied upon, however, for the absorption of the side strains, as it is lift seen that for this end the slope of the trough is shaped with a carefully tested bottom slant. At the ends of the trough shaped cross beams of the chassis frame, castings H are riveted to form pivots for the wheels C which are journaled in forks or bifurcated members K. Said forks have sockets it into which the castings H fit. Balls J may be placed in the sockets so as to be engaged by the lower ends of the castings H in order to reduce friction, see Fig. 2. Sprocket wheels L are fastened around the upper ends of the forks for steering purposes as will be hereinafter more fully described.

Referring now to Figs. 4, 5 and 6, the

I cushion bearings may be placed in the sockets in the wheel-carrying forks instead of in the chassis frame. When such an arrangement is adopted, castings H may be secured directly to the platform A, as indicated in Figs. 5 and 6, and said castings may have other castings A telescopically mounted around them with air cushions E, interposed between said castings H and A The castings H may have vertical ribs a and the castings A corresponding and interengaging grooves a for preventing the latter castings from turning on the former. The castings H and A are yieldingly connected by bolts ,G, fast to the castings H and passed through lugs a on the castings A springs 9 being interposed between the lower ends of said bolts and the lugs in order to take the recoil. The wheel carrying forks K have sockets K into which the castings A fit and are free to turn. Balls J are placed in the sockets for the castings to rest upon. The forks are retained on the castings by screws I which penetrate the Walls of the sockets and engage horizontal grooves a in the castings A, see Fig. 5. The sockets may be partially open at the bottom, as at to permit the inflation of the cushions E, through valves c pextending through the bottoms of the castings A. Sprocket wheels L are fastened around the upper ends of the forks K for steering purposes.

As illustrated in Fig. 7, a sprocket chain M may be passed around the sprocket wheels L or L, on all four wheels of a horse drawn vehicle, or only around those on its front Wheels, so that the steering can be done by all four wheels, as in orchard wagons, or by the front wheels only, the rear wheels being fastened rigidly in the latter case, as by tightening the screws I, Fig. 5. In either case turnbuckles m are placed in the chains.

to take up slack. When the vehicle is to be drawn by horses or other draft animals, a tongue N is provided and pivoted to swing to either side. A sprocket Wheel 0 is made fast to the tongue with its hub around the same pivot. The sprocket chain M is passed around this sprocket wheel 0 as well as the sprockets L, on the wheels. The result is that when the tongue is turned by the horses in going around a curve, the wheels to which the sprocket chain is attached will be turned to correspond and so steer the vehicle in the proper direction.

In'Figs. 8 and 9 the invention is shown applied to a motor truck. In this instance the steering sprocket O is operated by the usual steering Wheel P, and the sprocket chain is passed around the sprockets on the front vehicle wheels only, in addition to the sprocket O. A motor is diagrammatically illustrated at 15 in thesefigures, the driving shaft in a similar manner at 16, the differential drive at 17, and driving chains connecting the differential shaft with the stub axles of the rear vehicle wheels at 18. The motor or driving shaft 16 is shown projecting beyond. the front of the truck and fitted with a pulley 19 to provide for utilizing the motor for other than propelling purposes.

As illustrated in Fig. 6, the vehicle wheels 0 may be mounted on stub axles R, which extend in opposite directions into journals S, at the lower ends of the forks K. Two sets of roller bearings T and T, may be used on each end of each of the stub axles, as illustrated. No claim is made herein to the roller bearings or to the steering mechanism, the same being the subject of divisional applications.

The air cushions may be inflated in any suitable manner, as by a pump operated by hand or by the engine and under the control of the driver or chauffeur. For this purpose, the tube'leading from the pump may be provided with a number of branches equal to the number of cushions and each connected to one of the cushions as to the valve 0 in Fig. 5, so that each of said cushions will contain the same air pressure.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. In a vehicle, the combinationwith a platform, of wheels, mountings for said wheels, trough shaped members attached to said wheel mountings, pneumatic cushions n said trough shaped members" arranged in pairs side by side, ribs in said troughs for retaining the cushions in position, and other members attached to the platform and having their under faces shaped to fit in said trough shaped members and rest upon said'cushions. k 2. In a vehicle, the combination with a platform, of wheels, mountings for said wheels, trough shaped members attached to said wheel mountings, a longitudinal rib in the center of said troughs, pairs of pneuattached to the platform and having their under-faces shaped to .fit between said pairs of cushions in the trough shaped members.

3. In a vehicle, the combination with a latform, of wheels, mountings for said wheels. trough shaped members attached to said wheel mountings, a longitudinal rib in the center of said troughs, pairs of pneumatic cushions arranged in the troughs at opposite sides of said rib, and transverse ribs in the troughs separating the ends of the cushions.

t. In a vehicle, ,the combination-with a platform, of wheels, mountings for said wheels, trough shaped membersattached to said wheel mountings, a longitudinal rib in the center of said troughs, pairs of pneumatic cushions arranged in the troughs at opposite .sides of said rib, and other members attached to the'platform and havingtheir under faces shaped to fit betweensaid pairs of cushions in the trough shaped members. the outer edges of said cushions being thicker than their inner edges for the purpose specified.

. 5. Ina vehicle, the combination with a platform, of wheels, mountings for saidwheels. trough shaped members attached to said wheel mountings,- a longitudinal rib in the center of'said-troughs, pairs of pneumatic cushions arranged in the troughs .at opposite sides of said rib, and other members attached to the platform and having their underfaces shaped to fit betweensaid pairs of cushions in the trough shaped membars, the faces of said cushions which are.

said trough shaped members, and other members attached to theplatform and having theirnnder faces shaped to fit in said trough shaped members and rest upon said cushions, the edges of the trough shaped members extending above the edges of the members carried by the platform, the edges of the members attached to the platform being turned down somewhat for the purpose specified.

' 7. In a. vehicle, the combination with a platform, of wheels, mountings for said wheels, pneumatic cushions interposed between said wheel mountingsand the plat- .form, bolts pivotally attached to the platform, lugs on the wheel mountings through which said bolts arepassed, and springs interposed between the lower ends of said bolts and said lugs for the'purp'ose specified.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the two attesting witnesses.

JOHN H. CARR. \Vitn'esses:

' ILA. WALKER, J. C. KEnLnR.

presence of 

